Bylaws

The Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee (CCJCC) Bylaws

The Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee (CCJCC) is an advisory body established in 1981 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the local criminal justice system. Originally created as part of a comprehensive program to reduce violent crime, the 59-member committee brings together virtually all of the top leaders in criminal justice and local government to form a unique policy-level forum whose overall purpose is to strengthen interagency coordination, communication, and cooperation.

The CCJCC is a voluntary organization. It has no statutory powers or legal authority, nor does it have independent authority to set policies or determine resource allocations. Yet, the committee is able to play a leadership role in addressing a variety of countywide justice issues because of the commitment and support of its members. This membership reflects the support of municipal, county, state, and federal jurisdictions, and includes law enforcement executives, prosecutors, judges, court administrators, criminal justice agency heads, as well as elected officials and key leaders from the disciplines of health services, mental health, education, and affirmative action.

COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION

The CCJCC organization reflects the size and complexity of the countywide criminal justice system in Los Angeles County. Covering an area twice the size of the State of Delaware with a population exceeded by only seven states, this system reflects multi-jurisdictional problems and planning issues that are more typically associated with statewide justice systems. Within the County of Los Angeles, there are 47 law enforcement agencies, 12 districts of the Superior Court, and a County jail system that is capped by a federal court order of 20,000 inmates. The County is also the major part of some of the nation’s largest and most complex federal law enforcement and judicial regions.

Mirroring the complexity of the county jurisdiction, the CCJCC now consists of 59 members, including elected officials from county and city government, judges representing the Superior Court, the District Attorney, the Los Angeles City Attorney, the Public Defender, and the Chief Probation Officer. Law enforcement is represented by the Sheriff, the Los Angeles Police Department Chief, and the elected representative of the county's 47 police chiefs. Federal law enforcement is represented by the United States Attorney, local heads of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Also, reflecting the growing recognition of the inter-dependencies between criminal justice and other elements of the larger community, the CCJCC membership now includes top level executives from health services, mental health, education, and affirmative action.

The committee, which meets monthly and is always chaired by the Chairperson of the County Board of Supervisors, encourages the support and personal involvement of its principal members. The Board of Supervisors also supports the committee by providing full-time professional staff that are administratively assigned to the Board's Executive Office. (See Attachment A for Committee Organizational Rules)

Attachment A

ORGANIZATIONAL RULES

OF THE

COUNTYWIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

COORDINATION COMMITTEE

(Adopted 7/29/81)

(Revised 1/20/82)

(Revised 5/16/84)

(Revised 7/3/97)

(Revised 8/16/00)

(Revised 12/01/04)

(Revised 3/28/06)

(Revised 11/15/06)

(Revised 2/20/08)

CHAIR/CHAIR PRO TEM

The Committee will be presided over by a Chairperson, who is the Chairperson of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The Chairperson will appoint a Chair Pro Tem to serve in his/her absence.

MEMBERSHIP

There are currently 59 members on the Committee, each of whom is seated as a representative of a criminal justice agency or entity or local unit of government. The Committee, by majority vote, can add to or subtract from the Committee’s membership. Each member, whether elected or appointed, may vote on issues brought before the Committee.

Members unable to attend may designate a standing alternate to represent him/her at meetings. The designated alternate will have full voting privileges of members while representing the member.

REGULAR MEETINGS

The Committee will meet on a monthly basis. The meetings are to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. in Room 739, Los Angeles County Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles.

A majority of voting members constitutes a quorum.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

Special meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chair or a majority of the members. Member notification as well as public notice will be well in advance as practicable, but at least seventy-two (72) hours.

NOTICE

Meeting notices shall specify the time and place of the meeting and the business to be transacted.

PUBLIC NATURE

Both regular and special meetings of the Committee shall be open and public.

SUBCOMMITTEES

The Committee may appoint standing or ad hoc subcommittees to address issues or facilitate the Committee’s activities. Such subcommittees may convene meetings, as needed, without public notice.

AGENDA

Committee staff, with the approval of the Chair, will develop an agenda for each regular and special meeting.

MINUTES

Staff will keep minutes of each meeting and offer them for Committee approval as the first agenda item of the subsequent meeting.

BRINGING UP A MATTER

A matter is brought up either by a member at the meeting or by the presentation of a communication.

MOTIONS

The generally accepted canons of Robert’s Rules of Order are to be utilized in the introduction, debate, and adoption of motions by the Committee.

OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

Chairperson - The Chair’s duties include presiding over all Committee meetings, instructing staff on materials to be presented at subsequent meetings or to respond to members’ requests for information, to sign communications on behalf of the Committee, and to represent the Committee through testimony, appearances, etc.

Chair Pro Tem - In the absence of the Chair, to fulfill any and all of the above duties.

STAFF

Staff to the Committee includes an Executive Director, four staff persons, and a secretary. Staff, in addition to attending all meetings, taking roll, keeping minutes, etc., will receive assignments from the Committee on an ongoing basis.

Such assignments may include:

Structuring issues for the Committee’s consideration.

Coordinating the development of legislative strategies.

Conducting legal or programmatic planning and research activities in areas of interest to the Committee.

Drafting reports, correspondence, presentations, and other materials as required for the Committee’s use.